Clooney has critics in stitches

Honoree has auds in hysterics at New York Film Critics dinner

George Clooney stole the show at Monday’s 75th annual New York Film Critics Circle Awards, where dinner was served two and half hours late.

” I got my chicken five minutes ago, so I’m like Mariah Carey fucked up,” Clooney, org’s actor honoree, said to wild applause and laughter before teasingly presenting “Fantastic Mr. Fox” helmer Wes Anderson with the animated-film award at Crimson restaurant. “Before the show started Wes said, ‘George, tonight when I give my acceptance speech I am going to blow the roof off this place. I’m going to give the best goddamn acceptance speech in New York Film Critics Circle history.’ I said, ‘You know Wes, there are some people here are that are good at this shit like Meryl Streep,’ and he said, ‘Fuck her. Fuck Meryl Streep!’ I mean who says that? Really Wes!”

“It is a high-water mark for me tonight, because of all the films that I have starred in, this is the first film that your colleague Rex Reed hasn’t said that I suck,” thesp said to uproarious laughter.

The next day at the National Board of Review kudofest at Cipriani, Clooney was feted again for his work in “Up in the Air,” which received multiple awards. This time around thesp left the wit up to his colleagues and fellow honorees.

Upon accepting his best actor kudo, which he shared with Clooney, Morgan Freeman thanked the NBR “for not settling for George.”